Originally Posted by Avroman

Nope, at the moment it looks like early 2008 (turning every rock looking for a newhire).... what happened by the end of 2008??? Oh that's right, total stagnation. What happened next? Eventual furloughs and downgrades followed by mass exodus from the bottom half of the list in the face of bankruptcy.

Am I saying that's what's coming in 2016? No, but will it happen in this industry again? You dang well better count on it. The airlines are fighting harder than anything to repeal or at least greatly reduce the 1500 hour rule, and unfortunately it sounds like they are going to succeed. They've already letter of interpretation'd their way out of most of the improvements that FAR 117 was supposed to provide (oh but we still get to be scheduled for that extra hour of flying every day)
Sorry if I am feeling like I'm being hustled by used Kirby salesmen from both sides right now...